Some Assistance with Love
by Miss Maudlin
Summary: Link is shy. Zelda's embarrassed. Everyone knows of their love for each other except themselves. What's to be done? [oneshot]


_A/N_

    Hidey ho! While in the shower (sorry about the visual), I came up with this nice little one-shot ficcy. Well, here it is. Hope ya like it! :D

Disclaimer: No, I don't own the Legend of Zelda. Estoy triste! :(

* * *

**Some Assistance with Love**

    The Princess of Hyrule watched him in the courtyard while he played his ocarina. The tune was a simple one, but it evoked a multitude of emotions from her heart. Oh, how she wanted him to play a song just for her.

    But Link hadn't, or maybe simply wouldn't, play a song for her. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy her company or didn't consider her a friend---he was just terribly shy. The man could barely speak in front of people, let alone play his instrument. Zelda sighed loudly. And she was too embarrassed to tell him she loved him.

    Only the Goddesses knew how the Hero of Time felt about her. The only thing he ever did in front of her was mumble a greeting, blush, and then seemingly run in the other direction. Gad! The man was so frustrating. Zelda didn't know what to do---at first she was offended by his behavior, then she felt sorry for him, and at the moment she was very confused. He might love her. He might just be shy around females. He might even be afraid of her, although she had no idea why he would be.

    Her thoughts drifted to just six months prior, when Link had saved them all from a seemingly wretched fate. After defeating the evil King Ganondorf, with Zelda's help, Link was proclaimed the Hero of Hyrule, the Hero of Time---one of the highest ranking men in the land. Zelda had given him the choice of going back seven years earlier, since he had lost that time because of her---but he'd refused. He'd only said that he thought his work was unfinished. And that was all the Princess could get out of him. Not that he'd miss her. Or that he loved her too much to leave her behind. No, he still had something to do. But _what_?

    Zelda slapped her forehead in frustration. What if he only had stayed because he loved someone else? She knew he was friends with the daughter of the owner of Lon Lon Ranch, Malon. And that he had been snared into a supposed betrothal to the Zora Princess Ruto at the tender age of ten. Of course, he hadn't known at the time. Thoughts in a whirl, Zelda began unconsciously pulling on her curtains and swearing colorfully. Damn the man!

    It wasn't until someone cleared their throat that she knew someone had entered her rooms. Whirling around, she noticed her nursemaid and adoptive mother, Impa, behind her. Actually, Impa was more of a bodyguard than nursemaid. The Sheikah woman was tall and voluptuous; her hair was white and pulled into a tight bun.

    Tapping her fingers on her hips, Impa asked wryly, "Dreaming of Link again, right?" She smiled broadly when Zelda blushed furiously.

    "No!" Zelda exclaimed quickly, rubbing her cheeks in hopes of disposing of their crimson color. "I was just…er…thinking," she replied lamely.

    The Sheikah woman nodded. "Right." She then walked to the Princess's side and put her arm around her shoulders. "You know," she said quietly, "that everyone but Link knows of your infatuation of him." When Zelda squawked in horror, Impa continued. "Oh, don't worry, Princess, there's no reason to fret. I do, however, suggest that you tell him soon. Why do you think he's stayed around, walking about the castle like a ghost, for so long?" Impa waggled her white eyebrows.

    Zelda stuttered. "What are you saying, Impa? That he's only stayed here because he _loves_ me?" She shook her head. "He would have told me by now." Biting her lip, she suppressed the urge to cry.

    Impa held her close. "Oh, Zelda, don't cry. You know how shy he is. I don't think he knows what to tell you. Or how to tell you." She patted the young woman's back like a child as Zelda began to sniffle. "Buck up, my dear. Being in love hurts."

    Zelda's tears disappeared as she looked up at Impa and frowned. "How would you know?" she asked suspiciously.

    Impa was unfazed. "That's for another time, Princess." Pushing her toward her door, she said, "Go tell him."

    Zelda stood frozen, not knowing what to do. Should she go out there and tell him how she felt? She had a bad feeling that doing so would only scare him off, like a frightened sparrow. Rolling her shoulders, Zelda walked out, not wanting to be afraid in front of Impa, who was the strongest woman she knew. She went slowly. There was no need to rush her humiliation. Zelda sighed loudly. Nayru have mercy on her soul.

* * * *

    Link sat on a marble bench in the courtyard of Hyrule Castle. His fairy Navi sat on his shoulder, quiet for once. Playing his ocarina, Link was calm, which was rare. The ever-moving life of court made him uneasy and distressed. He hated it. But he only stayed because of one person: Zelda, the Princess.

    Losing his tranquility from his constantly shifting thoughts, he set his ocarina down on the bench, stopping the flow of music. Navi shifted on his shoulder. "Why'd you stop?" she asked, nosy as ever.

    Link didn't mind her intrusions, at least sometimes. The annoying fairy was actually a very good friend. "Oh, no reason," he said in his always quiet voice. "I'm just thinking."

    Navi sighed loudly. "Of course, Link. That's it exactly," she replied sarcastically. "Why don't you just tell the Princess that you love her and we can get on with our lives?" The fairy yawned.

    Link turned a bright red. "Shut up," he whispered fiercely, "what if someone hears you?" He twiddled his thumbs in nervousness. "Goddesses, Navi, do you ever keep your mouth shut?" His voice was full of his embarrassment on the matter.

    "Goddesses, Navi, do you ever keep your mouth shut?" the fairy mimicked in a high-pitched voice. Adding in the same voice, "I'm just too chicken to even complete a whole sentence in front of the Princess. Oh, the horror, the horror." Navi sniggered.

    Link flicked the tiny fairy off of his shoulder, angry at her words, even though they were true. Navi squeaked in protest. "You don't even know what you're talking about, Navi," he said darkly.

    She snorted. "Yes, I do. I've been with you for over SEVEN YEARS, Link! I know you. Just tell her!" Navi straightened her tiny dress. "Sheesh, you're so touchy." Abruptly, she burst out laughing. "Oh, what a coincidence! Here she comes, lover boy."

    Link looked around frantically, while Navi flew away, leaving him to his own devices. His heart raced furiously. Zelda! Here! Goddesses!

    Looking to his right, he saw her. Zelda wore a simple lavender gown with her reddish-gold hair loose on her shoulders. Link flushed. She was so beautiful.

    "Hello, Link," she said quietly, smiling.

    His throat closed, and he was unable to reply. He squeaked something, but when he looked back on the memory it was something along the lines of "Elozel." Or "Hello, Zelda" in Link language.

    She looked so peaceful, so confident in her own skin. He never knew how to act around her. To both his horror and joy, she sat down next to him. "How are you?" she asked, smoothing the folds of her dress.

    Link stared at the Princess, wide-eyed. And he couldn't speak. His embarrassment increased ten-fold. "Are you all right?" Zelda asked, concern coloring her voice.

    "Og," was his reply. He was frozen in place.

    Zelda frowned. "Are you sure? You don't look so good." Biting her thumb nail, she blurted, "Is it me?"

    "Og." Link wanted to throw himself off a nearby cliff after that. Zelda then put a hand on his arm. Shooting up like a frightened squirrel, he could barely keep himself from running. "Og, need to go. Bye." Then he left at a brisk jog. He refused to call it running.

    After he was far enough away, Link slapped himself. Goddesses! What had he done? Then he started to run. He ran out of the courtyard, saddled Epona, and then rode as fast as he could to Hyrule Field. When he finally felt that he'd left the mess behind, he slowed the mare down, cooing softly.

    "Sorry, girl," he whispered. "I just ruined myself back there." He patted Epona while she began to munch on some grass, trying to stop himself from bursting into tears or screaming in rage because he felt so humiliated. The worst part was that he had done it to himself. Why couldn't he just _talk_ to her? Sighing, he rode off into the sunset, thoroughly befuddled.

* * * *

    Zelda had been extremely nervous when she had found Link on that bench. She felt so unconfident, so uncomfortable. Her fears were constantly showing their ugly faces, and she hated it. Unfortunately, she also got to watch in utter horror as Link ran, well maybe more like jogged, away from her. She didn't try to stop him. He obviously didn't want to talk to her. Throwing her hands up in exasperation, Zelda walked back to her rooms.

    As soon as she arrived, she collapsed on her bed and began screaming into her pillow. She cursed Link to the deepest levels of hell. She cursed his shyness. She cursed herself at her cowardliness. Sobbing, Zelda eventually exhausted herself into a dreamless sleep.

* * * *

    Unbeknownst to Zelda, Impa and Navi stood outside her door and listened to her crying. Stepping away, the two frowned. "Come, little one," Impa whispered, "let's go talk somewhere else." Navi nodded in agreement.

    The two decided on going to Impa's own apartments, which were fairly close. Impa settled into one of her large chairs while Navi sat on her shoulder. Both of them were thinking deeply. Finally the fairy spoke up. "We've got to lock them up somewhere together," she said seriously. "So they can't run away from each other."

    The Sheikah woman furrowed her eyebrows at Navi. "And how," she drawled, "do you except us to accomplish something like that?"

    "Well, I don't know," Navi said defensively, "you're a Sage. Can't you figure something out? Sheesh."

    Impa didn't reply for a while. After what seemed like hours, she said quietly, "You know, little one, that just might work."

    "Really?" Navi asked, surprised. No one ever took her seriously.

    "Uh huh," Impa said. Slapping her palm with a fist, the Sheikah exclaimed, "Yes, that's perfect! We'll trick them into seeing each other. And then when they least expect it, they'll be stuck together!" Looking to Navi, she added, "How about it?"

    Navi shrugged. "Just as long you tell them it was my idea. I never get any credit."

    Impa snorted. "Of course, fairy. Anything for _you_."

    As the woman got up to leave, Navi continued talking. "Are you making fun of me? Is that it? Huh?" When Impa didn't reply, she grumbled, "No respect…" Despite Navi's rantings and ravings, the plan went into motion.

* * * *

    Zelda stood in her apartments, pacing. Impa had wanted to speak with her. The Princess really did not want to talk about her encounter with Link. It had been so embarrassing. Hearing the door open, Zelda looked up.

    "Link!" she exclaimed, shocked. She watched in what could be considered horror as Link was shoved into her room with a canvas bag over his head, then as the door to her apartments was closed quickly and then locked with a soft click. Running to it, Zelda couldn't get it open. "What's happening?" she cried. "Who ever is out there, tell me what's going on!"

    In response, there were muffled giggles and cries of laughter. "Oh, Zelda, it's for your own good," she heard Impa say. "Yeah!" was Navi's reply. Turning around, Zelda went to Link. He was sitting on the floor, with a brown bag over his head that was knotted with a rope expertly. She worried that she couldn't even untie it.

    Zelda almost burst into hysterical laughter at Link's state. The man was frozen in fear. Giggling, she untied the knot and ripped the bag off of his head. With his head free, he shook his hair out; his face was flushed. "Zelda!" he cried. "What happened? Impa, Navi, they KIDNAPPED me!" Running his hands through his messy hair, he added, "Goddesses!"

    "You mean to tell me that a woman and a fairy _kidnapped_ you?" Zelda asked, laughing.

    Link looked so red that she swore he was turning purple. "Well," he stammered, "Impa is a huge woman!" When he heard a loud Hey! outside the door, he jumped. "Anyway," he continued, "they surprised me. I couldn't get away. And, well, I knew they weren't going to hurt me. So…" His voice trailed away. Abruptly, he asked, "What are you doing here? Did they kidnap you too?"

    Zelda snorted. "No, Impa just told me she needed to speak with me. And then I got locked up in here. With you."

    At the hurt tone in her voice, Link looked down. "Zelda, I'm…er….I…

    She stood up, leaving him to go to her balcony. Pulling hard on the doors, she found them to be locked. All of the windows were locked as well. Growling, she plopped herself on a couch and stared at the fire that was burning in the hearth. Link came and sat in the farthest chair.

    "Why did you run?" Zelda asked, not looking at Link.

    Link flushed deeply. "I'm sorry, you know," he stuttered. "I just, er…"

    She hit her fists hard on the sofa arm. "What, Link?" she yelled. "That you can't stand to be around me? Is that it!" Her voice was tinged with hysteria. Looking at him, she added, "Just tell me, for Goddesses' sake!"

    He was taken completely aback. "Zelda," he murmured. "You've got it all wrong."

    "What? I don't---" She abruptly cut off when he came and kneeled in front of her and took her hands.

    "I said," he whispered, "that you've got it all wrong." He looked down at the floor. "I…I…I…" Then he stopped, as if mustering his courage. When Zelda prompted him again, he looked up with a gaze so completely unlike him that Zelda's heart quailed. "I can stand being around you. Er…I mean that I _want_ to be around you. That I…" His shyness was coming back.

    Zelda's tone softened. "What, Link?" she whispered.

    He blurted, "That I love you, Zelda. I love you so much."

    Her eyes widened. "What?"

    "Don't make me say it again," Link cried, laughing. He sat down next to her. "I love you, you silly woman."

    Zelda was completely shocked. More than shocked. She was astounded. "Really?" she cried. Suddenly hugging him so tightly that he squeaked, she exclaimed, "Link, I love you as well! Oh, Link."

    He laughed and pried her arms off enough so that he could breathe. He traced her cheekbone. "Oh, Zelda, I'm so sorry. Please, I---" This time, Link was interrupted. But it was because Zelda began kissing him. Surprised, he didn't respond at first; but after a moment he softened and began to fervently kiss his love. Zelda. The Princess.

    After more than a couple of minutes of kissing, the two broke apart, laughing and breathing hard. Then they started it up again; they seemed to not get enough of each other. They were so completely enthralled with the other that they didn't even notice the whoop of triumph that came outside the door.

    "It worked!" Impa exclaimed, laughing.

    Navi nodded. "Of course it worked. _I_ thought of it." When Impa snorted, Navi began to shriek in annoyance. The Sheikah woman, however, didn't notice the fairy's yelling. She was just glad that all of that was over.

    Shrugging, Impa placed the fairy on her shoulder. "Who cares who thought of it, Navi," she said.

    "It matters to me," Navi countered. Impa rolled her eyes as the fairy swore. "Oh, sheesh!"

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    HEY HEY!!! How was that? REVIEW!


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